CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government is assisting the families affected in the ongoing demolition in Barangay Capitol Site.
Lawyer Collin Rosell, chief of the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor, said the affected residents are being treated as fire victims and will be entitled to free meals and P10,000 cash assistance.
“We have to treat them like fire victims. Maybe provide the standard P10,000 cash aid, but it’s up to DSWS (Department of Social Welfare and Services),” Rosell said.
He said the affected families are waiting for the financial assistance from the city and possible relocation sites for qualified beneficiaries.
“What we are doing right now, our approach is community-based. We always coordinate and work closely with the community. The community, as we have tracked, most of them are good to go already,” Rosell said.
According to him, most of the families have already accepted financial assistance from the lot owner. Some were also given arrangements for relocation.
“I think they were also provided with financial assistance. Some of them used the cash to acquire lot for them to live in, daghan na ni-transfer,” said Rosell.
There are, however, 27 out of the 130 families affected that allegedly insisted to stay in the area.
“The 27 is what we have been working up to assist for their relocation sites,” he said.
Rosell said the legal issues should be left for the court to decide. He said that other government officials should not have encouraged the residents to return to the area and rebuild their houses.
“Let’s just leave it to the court… If there are leaders that has different view and they will not provide staging area or temporary shelter kay iya gyud ipabalik didto, iyaha pud na. I just hope within legal bounds na siya because as what I understood, naay contempt proceedings pending sa korte,” he said.
Capitol Site Barangay Captain Manuel Guanzon authorized some of the residents to reconstruct their houses back at the property, stressing that it’s their right to make such move. (FREEMAN)